Smoke Gets in your Eyes

& Other Lessons From the Crematory

Most people want to avoid thinking about death, but Caitlin Doughty -- a twenty-something with a degree in medieval history and a flair for the macabre -- took a job at a crematory, turning morbid curiosity into her life's work. Thrown into a profession of gallows humor and vivid characters (both living and very dead), Caitlin learned to navigate the secretive culture of those who care for the deceased. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes tells an unusual coming-of-age story full of bizarre encounters and unforgettable scenes. Caring for dead bodies of every color, shape, and affliction, Caitlin soon becomes an intrepid explorer in the world of the dead.

I absolutely love Caitlin Doughty. It’s nice to know there is someone as comfortable with death as I am. We all live, we all die. It’s life. ‘Smoke gets in your eyes’ is about Caitlin’s experiences as a mortician, giving you a peek behind the vail of a day in her life. If you’ve read this book and enjoy it check out her web series on YouTube ‘Ask a Mortician’

This is the morbid, macabre book I've always been looking for! Caitlin Doughty is full of empathy and humor, which makes reading a book about cremation an enlightening and positive experience rather than a nightmare horror show. This book has made me dramatically rethink death, dying, and the funeral industry and it was truly a life-changing read.

One of the best books I have read in a long time, and I read a lot of books! This book is fascinating, highly entertaining, meaningful, and also hilarious in parts. It is about death and the death industry. If the subject turns you off, then you really need to read this book, and I'm not saying that to preach. Parts of the book may horrify you, but I really think you'll feel better able to deal with the issue of death after reading this book. You'll also probably save a hell of a lot of money the next time a loved one dies, after you read about the funeral industry and specifically about embalming.

I originally listened to the audiobook version and thoroughly enjoyed it. This is a truly enjoyable memoir filled with interesting facts about working in the crematory and thoughtful discussion about how we as a society deal with death and dying. I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a funny and fascinating memoir about an unexpected topic.

This book is better than I expected it to be, which was pretty good to begin with. Caitlin gives so much detail, and you are certain of her passion for working with the deceased. I am looking forward to reading more from Caitlin Doughty.

This book got me thinking about death in a realistic and positive way that has led to many wonderful, important conversations with family and friends. The narrative style is so easy to read that it helps temper some of the more gruesome details of working among the dead.

I'll admit to being a bit taken aback by the frank memoir at first, which surprised me as I have done dissections of all kinds so I had assumed I wouldn't be bothered, but then it does pull you in and makes you think about death, and society's obsession about youth and staying alive forever. There's something truly wacky about embalming when you think about it. Anyway, it's a really intriguing memoir and Doughty has a great way of breaking down a difficult subject with interesting facts.